Automatic train-stopping device.



W. S. HOLDSHIP 6 F. L. JONES.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24,1915.

1,209,296. Patented Dec.19,1916.

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WILLIAM S. HOLDSHIP AND FREDERICK L. JONES, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOPPING DEVICE.

Application filed May 24, 1915.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM S. HOLD- SHIP and FREDERICK L. Jones, citizens of the Dominion of Canada and United States, respectively, and residents of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Domin ion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stopping Devices, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic train stopping devices, and the object is to provide a simple,durable and inexpensive apparatus which may be readily applied to new or existing locomotives, and which will automatically apply the air brakes. v

A further object is to provide a device which, while it will automatically apply the brakes, will in no way interfere with the ordinary operation of the air brake apparatus.

A still further object is to provide an automatic brake applying device which may be rendered inoperative by the engineer, if he sees that such automatic operation would be dangerous.

, Various other objects and advantages of the device will be apparent from the following description.

Many different kinds of apparatus have been produced for automatically stopping trains, but these devices all have one or more considerable disadvantages, or are entirely impracticable, as evidenced by the fact that they are not in use. Among the disadvantages that may be enumerated and which are common to most of such devices are first, dependence on the air brake system to, such an extent thatthe ordinary operation of the brakes is seriously interfered with; second, absolutely automatic stopping of the train regardless of whether such a stop is desirableor safe, and third, complexity and delicacy of mechanism to a varying extent, rendering the devices liable to disarrangement and therefore unreliable.

The apparatus forming the subject of the present invention is particularly designed to avoid the above mentioned disadvantages, and consistsessentially of a small valve located on the pilot or other suitable portion Specification of Letters Patent.

tion of the automatic valve.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

Serial No. 30,043.

of the engine and adapted when operated to relieve pressure in the train pipe in exactly the same way in which the pressure is relieved through the engineers valve. The air exhausted from the train pipe is used to operate a whistle or other signal in the cab, so that the engineer can instantly distinguish between an automatic operation of the brakes and operation by the train crew. Means are also provided whereby the engineer can render this valve inoperative if he sees that the valve operating device is set against him and that a stop at that particular instant would be inadvisable or dangerous. The safe rate of application of brakes is well known to depend upon the weight and length of the train, the type of cars, the type of locomotives, and the condition of the rails and the grade. and it is there fore obvious that there will be many times when automatic stopping at a particular point and a particular rate would be inadvisable. Therefore, it is necessary to provide ineans for rendering the automatic device inoperative, so that when the engineer has seen the signal, the desired stop may be effected in a more practical manner. If, however, the engineer does not see the signal or is incapable of operating his engine, the automatic device will operate and set the brakes. It will be understood that this auto matic device is adjusted according to the performance and uses of the locomotive to which it is attached, the tvpe of service, and the general conditions of the line on which the locomoti e is operated. Thus. for frei t service, the brakes must be applied in a clifferent manner from that used in passenger service, and in passenger service, the adjustment will be different on heavy fast trains from what it is on light, comparatively slow trains. Also, the adjustment would require to be different for all classes of service on mountain divisions from what it is on plains divisions.

In the drawing which illustrates the inventionr Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive showing the application of the apparatus thereto. Fig. 2. is a side eleva- Fig. 3 is a section of the valve on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the draw mgs, 11 designates the rails upon which the locomotive 12 travels. The locomotive is equipped with the usual air reservoir 13, in which air is compressed by the pump 14:. The air pressure is communicated through the engineers brake valve 15 to the train pipe 16, the valve 15 acting as areducing valve and regulating the pressure in the train pipe. The automatic valve 17 of this invention is located on the pilot or other suitable part of the locomotive in position to be engaged by any suitable stop 18 1nounted adjacent the rails 11. This valve is connected'to the train pipe by a pipe 19, so that air may escapefrom the train pipe through the valve 17. Air on passing through the valve flows through a pipe 20 to the cab, where it escapes through a whistle or other signal device 21. Before escaping through the whistle, the air passes through a choke fitting 22 in the pipe which is adjusted according to the engine and the type of service to regulate the rate at which the air may escape, and thus regulate the rate of brake application. A pipe 23 carrying reservoir pressure extends from the cab to the valve, and is provided with a stop cock 24: in the cab, so that the engineer may, if he desires, admit reservoir pressure to the valve 17. Reservoir pressure being higher than train pipe pressure, the valve may thus be closed incidentally after its operation to prevent the escape of a sufficient amount of air from the train pipe to have any brake operating effect. hen this reservoir pressure is cut oil to permit operation of the valve, the pressure in the pipe 23 escapes through the waste outlet usually in stop cocks.

The valve 17 is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, and consists of a body 25 having an inlet passage 26, to which the pipe 19 connects, and an outlet passage 27 to which the pipe 20 connects. These two passages are separated by a valve 28 resting on a seat 29 and carried intermediate the ends'of a spindle 30, which passes out at one end through the casing, and at the other end projects into a cylinder 31 formed in the casing and separate from the inlet and outlet passages. A piston 32 of considerably larger area than the valve 28 is mounted in the cylinder 31 on the stem 30. A connection 33 for the pipe 23 is provided communicating with the cylinder. Where the stem 30 passes out of the casing or into the cylin- 'der, suitable stufling boxes are provided to prevent leakage, but in the event of leakage through the stufling box into the cylinder or past the piston, an outlet 35 is provided to prevent accumulation of air in the cylinder under the piston which would interfere with the operation ofthe-device.

The casing is carried on a yoke 36 which may be secured to the back of the pilot or any other suitable part of the engine. This position after the operation of the valve.

The operation of the device is extremely simple. If it is desired to stop a train, the device 18 is set accurately, and when the rod 37 strikes the device, it is reciprocated and drives the cam 38 under the valve stem, thus opening the valve 28 and permitting air to flow down the train pipe through to the signal whistle in the cab and thence to the atmosphere. If the engineer does not deem application of the'brakes at the rate for which the device is set'to be advisable, he

opens the stop cock 24C and admits air at tank pressure, the piston 32 thus driving the same down and closing the valve 28..

The air brake may now be operated in the usual manner. Similarly, if the engineer sees the signal set against him and does not deem it advisable to stop the train at the rate for which the application is set, he

may close the stop cook 24, so that when the valve 17 is operated, it will be against pressure of air above the piston and of such momentaryduration that practically no air will escape-from the train pipe. If, however, the engineer fails to see the signal set against him'or is dead or unconscious in his seat, as has occurred, the device will auto matically applythe brakes when the stop 18 set against the train is reached. If conditions vary from day to day, the engineer or other person qualified may adjust the choke fitting 22 to the average of possible necessities, so that the automatic application of the brake will not be liable to derail the train or cause other damage.v The signal operated by the escapingair advises the engineer that the brake has been applied by the automatic device, and would also serve as a warning to the fireman, since he would know by the nature of the stop whether or not the same was inade automatically or by the engineer. H

Various modifications may be made in this invention. As shownin the drawings,

the valve stays open when opened, and it is necessary to admit air at reservoir pressure through the stop cook 24 to close the valve. Means might be provided to automatically prevent the starting ofthe locomotive with r the valve 24: closed or to give a signal that this valve is closed. Various other modifications may be made in the device which will, however, fall within the scope of the invention. 7

It will be understood that the stop 18,

which is the subject matter of another application, may be arranged in any suitable way and operated either by hand or by many of the Well know interlocking block or signal systems.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is In a device of the character described, the combination with a locomotive and its air brake apparatus, of a signal, a pipe connecting the train pipe with said signal, a valve located in said pipe including a casing, and a spindle projecting therefrom, a yoke carrying said valve, a rod slidable in the yoke and adapted to engage a fixed stop, a cam movable by said rod under the stem to open said valve, means for retracting the 15 rod and cam, and means for closing the valve by the application of air pressure.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses. WIILIAM S. HOLDSHIP. FREDERICK L. JONES. Witnesses:

S. R. W. ALLEN, G. M. MORELAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

